See also: Ξάνθος

Ancient Greek

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Etymology

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Unknown. There are at least two possibilities:

  1. Derived from Proto-Indo-European, through augmented *ḱsendʰ-, from root *ḱas- (white, blond, grey). If this is correct, then this word is akin to Latin cānus (white), from Proto-Italic *kaznos;
  2. Of Pre-Greek origin, according to Beekes, which deems the comparison with Latin as gratuitous. Compare also Ancient Greek ξουθός (xouthós, golden yellow).

Moreover, the often asserted connection with Etruscan 𐌆𐌀𐌌𐌈𐌉𐌂 (zamθic, golden) is probably spurious.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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ξᾰνθός (xanthósm (feminine ξᾰνθή, neuter ξᾰνθόν); first/second declension

  1. yellow (of various shades), golden
  2. fair, blond, flaxen, tawny, a golden-red fawn (of hair)
    • 630 BCE – 570 BCE, Sappho, Papyrus Fragments 23:
      ξάνθαι δ’ Ἐλέναι σ’ ἐίσ[κ]ην
      οὖδεν ἄεικες
      xánthai d’ Elénai s’ eís[k]ēn
      oûden áeikes
      Comparing you to golden Helen
      is not at all inappropriate

Inflection

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Greek: ξανθός (xanthós)

See also

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Colors in Ancient Greek · χρώμᾰτᾰ (khrṓmata) (layout · text)
     λευκός (leukós)      γλαυκός (glaukós), κῐλλός (killós), πολῐός (poliós), φαιός (phaiós), χαροπός (kharopós)      ᾰ̓μαυρός (amaurós), κελαινός (kelainós), μαυρός (maurós), μέλᾱς (mélās)
             ἐρῠθρός (eruthrós); κᾰρῡ́κῐνος (karū́kinos), κόκκῐνος (kókkinos), φοινός (phoinós)              πυρρός (purrhós); ὄρφνῐνος (órphninos)              μήλινος (mḗlinos), ξᾰνθός (xanthós); ὠχρός (ōkhrós)
             πρᾰ́σῐνος (prásinos)              χλωρός (khlōrós)              χλωρός (khlōrós); χλωρομέλᾱς (khlōromélās)
             κῠᾰ́νεος (kuáneos); γλαυκός (glaukós), κᾰλάϊνος (kaláïnos)              κῠᾰ́νεος (kuáneos)              κῠᾰ́νεος (kuáneos), ὑᾰκῐ́νθῐνος (huakínthinos)
             ἰόεις (ióeis), φοινῑ́κεος (phoinī́keos); ᾰ̔λουργής (halourgḗs), πορφῠ́ρεος (porphúreos), οἶνοψ (oînops)              φοινῑ́κεος (phoinī́keos); ᾰ̔λουργής (halourgḗs), πορφῠ́ρεος (porphúreos)              ῥόδινος (rhódinos), ῥοδόεις (rhodóeis)

References

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Greek

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Etymology

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From Ancient Greek ξανθός (xanthós).

Adjective

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ξανθός (xanthósm (feminine ξανθή or ξανθιά, neuter ξανθό)

  1. blonde, blond, fair, flaxen, tawny
    ξανθά μαλλιά, όπως το μέλιxanthá malliá, ópos to méliblonde hair like honey
  2. golden
    ξανθό στάχυxanthó stáchygolden ear (of corn)

Declension

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Derived terms

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